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The Fork…in the road

Each of us reacts differently to major life events (MLE). Some curl inward. Others reach out. Some blame others. Others look inward. Some become immobile. Others pursue change.

While this blog attempts to be multi-faceted because I can’t be bothered trying to update multiple blogs and I think that this blog is a fair representation of me, the theme undoubtedly is change. One of those MLEs shook me up, shook me out of my secure zone, made me question myself, my life, my purpose.

I had come to the proverbial fork-in-the-road and it was time to make a decision and this is what I’ve chosen: to break out of my comfort zone, to move beyond, to extend, to share, to risk. To try again the things that I love in order to evolve into a better person.

We hear it so much that we are practically inured to it: Live each day like it’s your last. Even if you mindfully accept the challenge, the reality is hard, almost impossible. Although we try to escape routine, we can’t entirely because we have all kinds of obligations, which are the baggage of modern life and these tend to reinforce routine. You get up, shower, breakfast, commute, work, lunch, work, commute, do house chores. Routine.

So maybe it’s like so many others habits in life: we must take babysteps in order to change. The problem with babysteps is that they can be frustrating because the change you want to occur doesn’t seem to be fast enough or big enough and maybe this is another bit of baggage of modern life. We have no concept of slowing down, enjoying the moment, recognizing that even small steps toward change are better than no steps.

So here I am. The fork in the road is my history and I am loving this new road.

I’ll leave you with a few lyrics from a country song that Kathy Mattea sang a few year back. The song was written by Richard Leigh and Susanna Clark (1987–Come from the Heart).

You got to sing like you don’t need the money
Love like you’ll never get hurt
You got to dance like nobody’s watchin’
It’s gotta come from the heart